This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Nikhil Sarpatwari
As Power Platform developers and admins, we often need to spin up environments for testing, UAT, or troubleshooting. The Power Platform Admin Center gives us two main choices when copying an environment:
- Copy with Customizations and Data
- Copy with Customizations Only
At first glance, the difference might seem obvious. But there are deeper implications—especially around data sensitivity, broken configurations, and setup effort. Here’s what I’ve found in practice.
Option 1: Copy with Customizations and Data
This creates an exact replica of your source environment, including:
- All schema and code customizations
- Real data (accounts, contacts, cases, activities)
- Configuration records with environment-specific values
- Active integrations like SharePoint URLs
- Email server profile and mailbox configurations
Pros:
- Perfect snapshot of source — great for debugging
- ISV or third-party solutions that depend on existing data work immediately
- Flows, Plugins, and Automations function as-is
- Minimal setup effort
Cons:
- Sensitive data is copied — including PII
- Broken SharePoint links (URLs point to original environment)
- Risk of sending emails if flows are active
- Environment-specific configuration (URLs, IDs, references) can break things
- Licensing implications if test users/services are active
Recommendation: Disable flows and email settings immediately after copying to avoid accidental data leakage or email blasts.
Option 2: Copy with Customizations Only
This copies only the components, such as:
- Tables and schema
- Forms, Views, Apps
- Workflows, Plugins, Power Automate Flows (without connections)
- Business Rules and Security Roles
But no data is copied — not even reference/master data.
Pros:
- No sensitive data — safe for dev or external partners
- Email and integrations not active — no accidental triggers
- Cleaner environment — ideal for development or UAT
Cons:
- Lookup fields are empty — no reference data
- SharePoint integration needs reconfiguration
- Manual effort to import configuration or seed data
- Connection references must be remapped
When to Use Each Option
| Scenario | Recommended Copy Type |
|---|---|
| UAT with real scenarios | Customizations + Data |
| Dev environment or new build | Customizations Only |
| Privacy concerns or external team | Customizations Only |
| Performance/load testing | Customizations + Data |
| Demonstration to client | Customizations Only (with demo data) |
Final Thoughts
Copying environments isn’t just about convenience — it’s a strategic choice. You’ll want to balance data safety, setup effort, and use case when choosing between copying with data or just customizations.
Choose wisely and always double-check your integrations and email settings post-copy!
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Nikhil Sarpatwari